Electric chair.



Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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1.1. ODENWALD.

ELECTRIC CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED APPLIS, 1915.

1,164,205. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

JOHN J. ODEN'WALD, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ELECTRIC CHAIR.

l To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN J. ODENWALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington, in the District lof Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Chairs, of which the following is a` specification. I

This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of electrical apparatus which may be concealed within the framework of an ordinary chair and will produce high voltage electric currents which will be transmitted through the body automatically when a person is seated upon the chair.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a very efficient arrangement of parts which will be able to penetrate through the clothing of the person sitting on the chair in order to subject him to the electrical treatment.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of this character in which there are no eX- posed metallic parts or electrodes.

A further object is to s0 arrange the parts that the electrical shocks will not pass through any vital parts of the person and will be perfectly safe in its application.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a chair embodying my invention, looking from a point below the seat of the chair and with the parts partly broken away, the chair being tilted back and supported upon one leg; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same looking from below and partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view with the battery and induction coil removed, showing the arrangement of the electrodes which extend across the chair beneath the cane or other seat covering; Figs. 5k and 6 are enlarged detail views; Fig. 7 is a dia.- grammatic view of the electric circuits; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top view of a cane seated chair showing the metal conducting strips interwoven with the strips of the cane.

The electrodes which are connected to the terminals of the secondary of the induction coil preferably consist of a series of metal ribbons or strips which extend across the chair in parallel arrangement, beneath the cane or other insulating covering 6 of the Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led April 8, 1915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Serial No. 20,031.

chair, the strips connected to opposite terminals being alternated so that the highvoltage discharge can take place in a plurallty of parallel Zones extending between each pair of strips across the entire seat. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a convenient arrangement in which the strips 2a, 2b and 2c branch from the point 2, at which they are connected with a yterminal 4 of the secondary of the induction coil; while the strips 3, 3b, connected by the bridge piece 3 which is connected to the other terminal 5 of the secondary coil, extends in parallel relation with the strips from the other terminal and are alternated with them. The high voltage alternating currents from the secondary coil can discharge between any two adjacent metal strips, constituting the electrodes whenever there is a path of suiliciently low resistance interposed between any of these adjacent strips. As previously stated this series of parallel metal ribbons or strips eX- tend across the seat of the chair just beneath 4the insulating cane or other seat covering 6. In order that these metal electrodes may be thoroughly insulated and protected from anything that would form a short-circuit under the seat, I place an insulating sheet of fiber, paper or other suitable mediuni 7 directly under said metal strip electrodes. The metal strips may be fastened to the wooden frame of the seat by means of screws or other suitable fastening means, thus forming part of the seat support.

For the purpose of supporting the induction coil 10 I may provide a transverse wooden frame-member or strut 12 and support said coil by means of bolts 14 passing therethrough. The electric battery 15 consisting of a plurality of cells, preferably of the dry-battery type may be supported within the recess inclosed by the frame of the seat by means of a sheet of fiber or other suitable material 16 which may be fastened to the strut 12 and the frame of the seat. This supporting sheet 16 is preferably extended over the entire bottom of the seat frame so as to form an inclosing sheath for all of the parts, which are thus hidden from view and thoroughly protected.

()ne pole of the battery is connected at the point 18 with the conductor 19 which. connects with the binding post 5 constituting a common terminal for both primary and secondary coils Yof the induction coil. The yother binding post 5 connects the other terminal of the secondary coil by means ot' a conductor 19 with a spring arm 2O forming one ot the contacts of a switch, the other contact being formed by the lever 2l which is pivoted to the metal plate the latter being connected by a conductor 24 with the other pole of the battery. The contacts of the switch are normally maintained apart by the spring which presses the lever 21 upwardly against the bottom of the fiber sheet 7.

From the foregoing description ot parts, it will be apparent that when one sits upon the chair, the seat yields suliiciently to press the lever 2l into engagement with the contact arm 20, thereby closing the circuit of the battery through the primary of the induction coil and this causes the actuation of the trembler arm 26 to rapidly make and break the circuit at the contacts 27 in the usual manner. VThe high voltage generated in the secondary of the induction coil will cause current discharges to take place between the adjacent parallel strips or electrodes through the cane seat covering through the conducting medium constituted bythe adjacent portions of the persons body, the voltage being sutlicient to jump across the intervening spaces. The instant the person rises t'roni the chair, therebyT relieving the pressure on the switch arm 2l, the spring 25 will lift the said arm away from the Contact 20 thus opening the primary battery circuit.

My electric chair possesses a number of advantages which will be apparent with those familiar with electrical apparatus of this general type. The electrodes through which the discharge takes place, are thoroughly insulated so that it is impossible to come into contact with them and the discharge must always take place over an inter vening air space and throughthe insulating covering. The arrangement of the alternating metallic ribbons or strips connected with opposite poles or terminals of the secondary coil provide a large area over which the electrical action may take place and at the same time bring the opposite terminals into such juxtaposition as to insure a discharge between adjacent strips when a sufficiently conductive medium is brought suii'iciently near to form a conductive path. The operation is entirely automatic and the circuits are only closed after the person constituting said conductive medium is in proper poy sition to receive the electrical discharge from the net work of electrodes. The apparatus is entirely inclosed within the frame-work of the chair seat and is not only concealed from View but is thoroughly insulated and protected by the upper and lower insulating sheaths.

lVhile I have described in detail the particular construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purpose oi disclosing an improvement of my invention, it is apparent that various changes may be made therein within the scope of my broader claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. While l have described the apparatus in connection with a chair, it is evident that this may be used in connection with a couch or other containing tramework. Again I have shown the metal strips extending in parallel lines and formed separately from the seat covering but it is evident that they may be incorporated in the seat cover and may be interwoven with the cane strips, in case a cane fabric is employed and may be placed other than in parallel arrangement if desired, such changes being regarded as mere modifications within the purview of my invention.

I claim:

1. A chair for administering electric discharges and having a suitable seat covering, comprising an electric battery and an induction coil secured thereto, a series ot metal strips supported beneath and in juxtaposition to said seat covering, the strips being alternately connected to the terminals et the secondary ot' said coil, and a circuit closing switch in circuit with the battery and the primary of said coil adapted to be actuated by pressure upon said seat covering.

2. A chair for administering electric discharges and having a suitable seat covering, comprising an electric battery and an induction coi-l secured thereto, a series .of metal strips supported beneath and in juxtaposition to said seat covering, certain of said strips being connected to one terminal ot the secondary of said coil and other strips being connected to the other terminal thereof, and means for automatically closing a circuit between said battery and the primary of said coil by'pressure exerted upon said seat covering. y

3. A chair for administering electric discharges and having a cane seat covering, comprising an electric battery and an induction coil secured thereto, metal strips adjacent to the cane strips of said seat covering and connected respectively to the secondary terminals of said coil, and a circuit closing switch in circuit with the battery and the primary of said coil adapted to be actuated by pressure upon said seat covering.

4C. A body supporting frame having a cover of a suitable insulating material, a plurality of metal members constituting electrodes, secured beneath and adjacent to 'said cover, and means for supplying electric ply of said electric currents, said switch be- 10 currents of high voltage to said electrodes. ing actuated by pressure upon said cover.

5. A body supporting frame having a In testimony whereof I affix my signature cover of suitable insulating material, a pluin presence of two Witnesses. rality of metal members constituting electrodes, Secured beneath and adjacent to said JOHN J' ODENWALD' cover, means for supplying electric currents Witnesses: of high voltage to said electrodes, and a E. C. BROWN, normally open switch controlling the sup- BENNETT S. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

